Overview
The Optimize feature reviews your asset designs and flags common issues automatically. These checks help improve your email and landing page performance.
Configuring Optimize Rules
Follow these steps to manage your Optimize Rules.
Step 1: Open Admin Settings
Go to the left-hand navigation menu.
Click Admin.
Step 2: Navigate to Optimize Rules
Scroll to the Optimize Rules section under the Company drop down menu.
View the list of available rules.
Step 3: Edit Optimize Rules
Locate the rule you want to update.
Press the Pencil Icon beside the rule to edit the optimize rule.
Choose a severity level:
High – The rule is required.
Medium – The rule is recommended.
Ignore – The rule is not enforced.
Use High severity level for compliance or brand-critical requirements, Medium for guidance, and Ignore if the rule is not necessary.
Note: High severity rules prevent you from syncing an asset if the rule is not resolved.
If you have the Sync Assets That Are Not Optimized role permission, you can override High severity rules and proceed with syncing. Learn more about role permissions here.
Step 4: Save Changes
Changes apply immediately across all assets.
To Reset Optimize Rules:
Press the circular arrow icon beside the edit button if you'd like to revert one optimize rule back to the default value.
If you'd like to revert all optimize rules, click Reset All to Defaults.
Review the popup modal that displays which rules will be reset to their default severity.
Click Reset All to confirm.
View Optimize Rules in Studio
Once configured, Optimize Rules appear when working on an asset in the Studio.
Open an email or landing page.
Click the Optimize tab in the top navigation bar.
This view helps you understand what must be completed before publishing.
Available Optimize Rules
Optimize reviews your assets for the following issues:
Alternate Text — All images have alternate text set for accessibility and email client compatibility.
Anchor Links — Anchor link IDs match their corresponding labels to avoid confusion.
Asset Translation — Asset translation is up to date with its master asset version.
Background Height — Sections with background images do not exceed the 2050px height limit for Outlook on Windows.
Border Color — Borders do not match adjacent background colors, which can cause unwanted results in Dark Mode.
Button Border — Buttons have borders for visibility when backgrounds are adjusted in Dark Mode.
Button Links — All buttons have a link destination set.
Button Over Background Image — Rounded buttons over background images display as square corners in Outlook due to Vector Markup Language (VML) limitations.
Color Contrast — Text and background colors have sufficient contrast to avoid heavy adjustments in Dark Mode.
Content Links — All anchor links within text content have valid href destinations.
Custom Dark Mode Colors — Elements with light mode colors have corresponding dark mode color values set.
Dark Mode Color Choices — Text and background colors are neutral enough to avoid unexpected adjustments in Dark Mode.
Dark Mode Color Contrast — Dark mode text and background colors have sufficient contrast for readability.
Deleted/Unpublished Modules — Modules in the asset have not been deleted or unpublished from the module library.
Email Preferences Link — Emails include a link to unsubscribe or manage email preferences.
Email Size — Email file size stays within limits to prevent clipping in Gmail and other email clients.
Email Title — Email title meets character length requirements and is not empty.
Form Not Available In Platforms — Created forms are available in connected marketing platforms.
From Address — From (sender) address uses a valid email format or an accepted merge tag.
Image Dimensions — Image dimensions meet the configured width and height restrictions set for each image slot by an admin.
Image File Dimensions — Source image dimensions stay within company-wide recommended maximums for email loading performance.
Image File Size — Image file size stays within recommended limits for email delivery.
Image File Type — Images use supported file types for email clients.
Marketo Text Validation — Text and alternate text do not contain Velocity script directives such as
#defineor#evaluate, which can cause Marketo preview errors.Marketo Velocity Token Count — Velocity token count does not exceed Marketo platform limits.
Out Of Date Modules — All modules use the latest published version.
Pardot Segment Category Consistency — All Pardot segments within each dynamic content group use the same field for segmentation, which Pardot requires.
Preview Text — Preview text contains at least 15 characters so recipients can preview the email content.
Preview Text Max Characters — Preview text does not exceed 80 characters to prevent truncation in email clients and mobile devices.
Reply-To Address — Reply-to address uses a valid email format or an accepted merge tag.
Required Custom Fields — Required custom fields are filled in.
Subject Line — Subject line meets character length requirements and is not empty.
Text Over Background Image — Text over background images is reviewed for Dark Mode compatibility because text colors may change while background images remain unchanged.
Variant Segment Assignment — Created variants have an assigned segment.
Understanding the Results
Each item will show one of three statuses:
Passed (Optimal)
Warning (Medium Impact)
Failed (High Impact)
If something fails:
Click Highlight to locate the issue in your email.
Click Edit to go directly to the section for fixes.
Brand Voice Rules
Note: This feature is currently in Beta testing. Please reach out to kate.mosley@knak.com if you would like to participate.
Brand Voice Optimize is part of Optimize Checks. It scans your email content against brand voice rules configured by your Admin.
For step-by-step setup instructions, see Set Up Brand Voice Optimize.
What Brand Voice Optimize Checks
You see issues related to:
Spelling
Restricted words
Formatting rules
You do not see feedback for tone or personality.
Run Brand Voice Optimize
Open your email in the editor.
Open the Optimize tab.
Click Run Brand Voice Check.
Fix or dismiss issues based on the suggestions.
Accessibility Best Practices
Many accessibility issues flagged in email testing tools like Litmus, Email on Acid, and Validity can also be identified directly in Knak Optimize. Review the Knak Optimize warnings early in your workflow to quickly spot and fix common issues before final testing.
Common Accessibility Warnings
Missing Alt Text
Add descriptive alt text to meaningful images so screen readers can explain the content.
Low Color Contrast
Low contrast between text and background colors can make content difficult to read.
Common problem areas include:
CTA (Call-To-Action) buttons
Footer text
Text over images
Use high-contrast color combinations whenever possible.
Generic Link Text
Avoid vague links like:
Click here
Learn more
Read more
Use descriptive text instead:
Download the Product Guide
View Pricing Details
Small Text Sizes
Small text can be difficult to read on mobile devices.
Use at least 14px for body text
Use larger font sizes for buttons and headings
Image-Only Content
Avoid placing important text inside images. Screen readers may not read embedded text correctly. Use live text whenever possible.
Recommended Workflow
Build your asset in Knak
Run Knak Optimize
Fix accessibility warnings
Run any final tests before your live send
Need more help? Contact support via live chat within Knak using the chat bubble in the bottom right corner or email support@knak.com